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In the first 9 months of 2023, Vietnam's HRC exports exceeded 2.5 million tons, with Formosa Ha Tinh and Hoa Phat Dung Quat leading in the export market share. Additionally, crude steel exports showed a remarkable increase of over 81% compared to the previous year, reaching a volume of 1.4 million tons.Overview of Vietnam’s HRC exports from domestic steel manufacturers In the first 9 months of 2023, the steel industry's overall production of hot-rolled coil (HRC) reached 4.93 million tons, marking a 1.7% increase compared to the same period in 2022. Total sales volume was 4.95 million tons, reflecting a 4.1% increase compared to the previous year, with export quantities accounting for 50% of the total, reaching 2.559 million tons. Formosa Ha Tinh and Hoa Phat Dung Quat continued to lead the HRC sector in the country, with export figures of 1.6 million tons and 817,000 tons, respectively. It's worth noting that HRC exports have tripled compared to the same period last year, indicating a strong recovery in the Vietnamese steel industry despite the domestic steel consumption remaining relatively weak due to challenges in the real estate sector. In this context, export, especially in the HRC segment, has partially compensated for steel enterprises' domestic sales.Additionally, data reveals that Italy and India have become the two largest import markets for Vietnam’s HRC exports, with Italy importing over 840,000 tons and India importing more than 386,000 tons in the past 9 months. Furthermore, in more than 40 countries importing HRC from Vietnam, there are two Southeast Asian countries, Malaysia and Indonesia, ranking third and fourth in terms of import volume, with 378,000 tons and 244,000 tons. Previously, Vietnam's steel was predominantly consumed in the Southeast Asian region. However, since the signing of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), the European market has emerged as a promising destination for Vietnamese steel exporters.The pie chart show top Vietnam’s HRC importing countries in the first 9 months of 2023While China's steel production has been continuously decreasing, India is considered as a new global steel production powerhouse, leading experts to believe that India will continue to maintain demand for HRC imports to support its manufacturing sector. Italy, which has always been a leading importer of Vietnamese steel in the European market, has shown sustained interest in Vietnam's steel. Attractive pricing from Vietnamese HRC manufacturers and the tariff benefits under the EVFTA have provided opportunities for strong steel importation by European businesses.Export of other steel segments in the first 9 months of 2023 has shown positive growthAccording to the Vietnam Steel Association (VSA), the export volume of other steel categories, including crude steel, finished steel, and construction steel, has increased significantly compared to the previous year. Overall, in the first 9 months of 2023, the total production of crude steel across the industry exceeded 14 million tons, despite a 13% decrease compared to the same period in 2022. However, export data indicates a remarkable 81% increase compared to the previous year, reaching a volume of 1.4 million tons.Similarly, the production and export of finished steel have seen positive changes, with production reaching 20.2 million tons, a 13.3% decrease compared to the same period in 2022, while export quantities reached nearly 6 million tons, reflecting a 22.6% increase compared to the previous year. In the case of galvanized steel, production reached 3.42 million tons in the first 9 months of 2023, a slight 3.4% decrease compared to the same period the previous year, with 3.11 million tons being sold and 1.66 million tons serving export purposes. Overall, the growth percentages in sales and exports do not significantly differ from the previous year.The production of construction steel products in the past 9 months exceeded 7.72 million tons, with production decreasing by 21.6% compared to the previous year. Sales and exports reached 7.74 million tons and 1.25 million tons, respectively, both showing a downward trend compared to the same period in 2022. In general, most real estate sectors have witnessed a global decline in investments ranging from 40% to 65% compared to the previous year, directly impacting the consumption of construction steel.The charts indicated about the exporting volumes of Vietnam steel products in 9 months of 2023Despite the current weak domestic consumption, VSA anticipates that challenging sectors such as real estate and industrial production will continue to improve in the near future due to public investment projects aiming to stimulate strong steel demand towards the end of the year. The steel market in Vietnam in the fourth quarter of 2023 is expected to have an upward trend, primarily due to favorable export conditions that allow enterprises to increase production.

Europe, with its well-developed steel industry and strong potential, is confidently anticipating a surge in the price of hot rolled coil in the final months of the year. Positive indicators and specific factors have created an ideal situation for steel price increases and mark the recovery of the steel industry after a challenging period.HRC price in EuropeBetween October 13th and October 20th, 2023, the price of hot rolled coil in Western Europe decreased by €10 per ton compared to the previous week, reaching a range of €610-€630 per ton. This price decrease started at the beginning of October, with a €50 per ton drop on September 29th, equivalent to 7.3%. Meanwhile, the Italian market also experienced a similar price reduction, with hot rolled coil prices dropping by €10 per ton compared to the previous week and €20 per ton compared to the end of September. The price difference between Western and Southern Europe has narrowed, and the market is facing pressure from low-cost imported hot rolled coil.Service centers and distributors are currently experiencing low sales volumes due to reduced consumer demand. The significant volume of imports from Asia and India continues to put pressure on the market, and the European automotive industry is going through a slump, significantly impacting the purchase of hot rolled coil. Some steel companies are temporarily halting operations to balance supply and demand and prevent further price declines.Despite the weak market conditions, European steel producers are reducing production capacity to maintain balance, and it is anticipated that the market may face a supply shortage in November and December, potentially leading to an increase in hot rolled coil prices.HRC prices in other marketsIn the hot rolled coil steel market, prices in major countries like the United States, China, and India have experienced notable fluctuations. In the United States, hot rolled coil prices have been trending upwards from $680-700 USD per ton to $692-720 USD per ton. This is the result of factors such as trade policies, regulations on steel imports, and domestic industry protection measures. However, prices can still vary due to factors like supply and demand in the construction and manufacturing sectors.In China, one of the largest players in the global steel market, hot rolled coil prices have remained relatively stable recently. Additionally, China's steel production policies and output can impact both domestic and export steel prices. Factors like production restrictions or policy changes may not significantly alter prices in the short term.In India, hot rolled coil steel prices are often influenced by domestic supply and demand as well as imports. Currently, hot rolled coil prices in India are stable, and economic growth and infrastructure development are creating increased demand for steel. However, factors such as trade policies and anti-dumping measures can influence steel prices in the near future.

Recently, the Department of Foreign Trade of Thailand (DFT) announced an investigation into evading anti-dumping (AD) measures on hot rolled steel products, both coil and non-coil, imported from China. The investigation began on September 15, 2023, due to suspicions by the government that China was intentionally altering minor compositions of hot rolled steel to evade AD duties.1. The situation of Thai steel imports from ChinaAccording to the Ministry of Commerce report, Thailand's steel demand shows promising improvements in 2023, but domestic production is on a decline. In the first 6 months of the year, the production volume decreased by more than 10%, especially in 1st quarter 2023 where it fell by over 36%. This has led to an alarming capacity utilization rate of under 30% in Thailand's steel industry. The steel consumption data for the first five months of 2023 shows 7.17 million tons, with a domestic production of 2.81 million tons and imports of 4.99 million tons, increasing by 15.6%. Notably, the import rate of Chinese steel has risen by over 50% compared to the same period in 2022, putting tremendous competitive pressure on domestic steel products.2. Thailand intensifies investigations on hot rolled coil and non-coil steel imports from ChinaFaced with severe threats to Thailand's steel industry due to dumping and surging imports, domestic producers appealed to Thailand's Ministry of Commerce for timely measures. Consequently, on September 15, 2023, the government officially began an investigation into evasion of anti-dumping measures on hot rolled flat steel, both coil and non-coil, originating from 17 Chinese enterprises. The products under investigation are classified under HS codes as HS 7225.3090.022, 7225.3090.023, 7225.3090.024, 7225.3090.042, 7225.3090.090, 7225.4090.034, 7225.4090.090, 7226.911 0,022, 7226,9110,023, 7226,9110,024, 7226,9110. 042, 7226.9110.090, 7226.9190.022, 7226.9190.023, 7226.9190.024, 7226.9190.042 và 7226.9190.090.Previously, Thailand had also imposed numerous trade defense measures against imported goods from China to protect the interests of domestic enterprises and the national steel industry.3. Thailand importers benefit from Vietnamese steelThailand is one of Vietnam's main steel export markets, with $281.8 million in iron and steel products and $103.8 million in products made from steel in 2022. With many advantages and tax incentives, many importers have chosen Vietnamese steel for its affordable price and quality.In 2023, the DFT decided to terminate the anti-dumping duty order on alloy-coated zinc aluminum steel products from Vietnamese manufacturers like Hoa Sen Group, Nam Kim Steel Joint Stock Company, Hoa Phat One Member Limited Liability Steel Sheet Company, Vnsteel Thang Long Coated Steel Joint Stock Company, Maruichi Sun Steel Joint Stock Company, Dong A Steel Joint Stock Company, Dai Thien Loc Corporation, NS BlueScope Vietnam Limited Company, and Southern Steel Company.Earlier, on March 25, 2017, the DFT had imposed definitive anti-dumping duties on zinc-aluminum alloy-coated steel, ranging from 4.3% to 60.26%.In addition to AFTA, ACFTA, RCEP, etc., Vietnam and Thailand have participated in and signed numerous bilateral agreements to enhance their economic and trade relationships. Furthermore, both countries, being neighbors in Southeast Asia, benefit from supply chain efficiencies and transportation advantages, leading to time and cost savings.MRS Steel is a provider sourcing and delivering quality Vietnamese steel at competitive prices to global markets. If you're looking to save time and cost in understanding the Vietnamese steel industry, please contact MRS Steel for expert assistance.

On June 28, 2023, the UK continued to maintain anti-dumping measures on heavy plate steel imported from China. This decision was made after the government considered recommendations from the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) that the domestic steel industry would suffer significant damage if previous trade remedies measures were lifted.1. EU: Imposing definitive anti-dumping duty on non-alloy steel plate or other alloy steel imported from ChinaOn February 13, 2016, the European Commission initiated an anti-dumping investigation on steel products imported from China, specifically goods of flat products of non-alloy or other steel (excluding stainless steel, silicon-electrical steel, tool steel and high-speed steel), hot-rolled, not clad, plated or coated, not in coils.Products with thickness and width specified under Notice No. 2016/C 58/09, classified under the following HS codes: ex. 7208.51.20, 7208.51.91, 7208.51.98, 7208.52.91, 7208.90.20, 7208.90.80, 7225.40.40, 7225.40.60 and 7225.99.00.On August 11, 2016, the European Commission required that goods from China be registered with Customs for a period of nine months. As of August 11, 2016, the EC has imposed a provisional anti-dumping duty at a rate of duty is between 65.1% and 73.7% of the net-free-at-Union-frontier price depending on the company. The trade remedy measure on the above products imported from China is subject to Commission Implementation Regulation No. 2016/1888, was in force for a period of 6 months.Following the conclusions of the damage caused by China's cheap supply of heavy plate steel, the European Commission imposed definitive anti-dumping duties on the goods under investigation group. The amount of duty is between 65.1% and 73.7% of the net-free-at-Union-frontier price before duty depending on the company, in effective until February 28, 2022.However, in the face of recommendations from stakeholders and market fluctuations, on September 3, 2019, the EC issued Commission Implementation Regulation 2019/1382 regulating the definitive anti-dumping duties on imports of non-alloyed or alloyed steel plates from China if the safeguard duty is also levied on the same good. Accordingly, the definitive anti-dumping duty is adjusted in the range of 40.1 - 48.7% in case when the product is also subject to a 25% safeguard duty out of quota.According to the EU Withdrawal Agreement, from January 1, 2021, the UK is no longer a member of the EU and the application of safeguard measures on steel products is carried out independently between the EU and the UK. After this event, both the UK and the EU conducted a review and updated the trade protectionsm being applied. Therefore, on February 25, 2022, the European Commission announced the intitation of a sunset review of the definitive duty imposed on steel products from China.2. UK: extends anti-dumping duty on heavy plate steel imported from ChinaHeavy plate steel is one of the main materials for the production of construction equipment, oil and gas pipelines, shipbuilding, bridges and buildings. The construction and machinery manufacturing sectors account for over 70% of the UK's heavy plate steel consumption. Today, Spartan UK Ltd and Liberty Steel Dalzell Ltd are the UK's two largest producers of heavy plate steel, contributing £10-20 million to the UK economy each year.Therefore, when realizing that the source of cheap steel imported from China has seriously threatened business activities and profits, manufacturers have filed a complaint with the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA). The TRA investigation found that failure to impose strict safeguards on imported goods would have caused damage to British industry, with the risk of shutting down steel mills in North Lincolnshire and North Lanarkshire.On June 28, 2023, the UK government made the conclusion that the anti-dumping measures for heavy plate steel imported from China would remain in effect for 5 years.3. Prospects of Vietnam's steel imports to the UK 2023For Vietnam, the UK is currently the 13th largest important trading partner among countries and territories in the world, ranking 5th among European and American countries and territories. According to data of Vietnam Customs, in the first 11 months of 2021, Vietnam's total export turnover to the UK reached $5.24 billion, leading the growth rate was iron and steel products with an increase of 1269%, followed by products from iron and steel increased by 91.1%.The outstanding growth of iron and steel products by the recovery of industries in Europe after the pandemic. On the other hand, Vietnam's steel production output has improved in both quality and quantity. In 2021, Vietnam's crude steel output reached 23 million tons, finished steel products reached 33 million tons, the amount of steel exported to the UK increased by 708%, reaching 418,903 tons with an average price of 1172.7 USD/ton, increased by 69.5% over the same period last year.On March 13, 2023, Vietnam had the opportunity to welcome the UK Prime Minister's Trade Envoy to discuss bilateral investment and trade between Vietnam and the UK 2023. At the meeting, the two sides agreed on solutions to promote bilateral economic and trade cooperation, effectively implementing the UKVFTA and CPTPP Agreements. Through this event, the British government also continued to increase support and create favorable conditions to promote import and export activities between Vietnam and the UK. Therefore, most of Vietnam's steel products exported to the UK have grown well thanks to duty incentives.The UK government's move to extend anti-dumping duties on heavy plate steel imported from China may cause a supply chain shortage for domestic production. Finding alternative steel exporters is a solution that businesses can consider. Any demand for quotation and import of cheap and quality steel from Vietnam, please contact MRS Steel via Whatsapp: +84 76 911 2358 for the best support.

Weak business results due to the gloomy real estate market forced businesses to cut costs to maintain operations. These are the difficulties and challenges that the China steel industry has to face.Recently, China's large steel enterprises have announced that their business profits have decreased. It also mentioned obstacles that China steel enterprises are expected to face in the second half of this year. It is known that the reasons for these obstacles stem from low consumption demand and pressure to cut costs.According to the China Iron and Steel Association (CISA), this industry has reached a critical turning point in demand. CISA also concurs with the view of low consumption and persistently thin margins.In the first 5 months of the year, nearly half of China's giant steel mills had a loss in business results; although the number of orders increased, sales still declined. These are also two big problems that China's steel enterprises have to face at this time.China is known as the country with the most developed steel industry in the world, with more than 50% of steel production being produced in Chinese factories. However, the majority of input materials for steel production are imported from Australia and Brazil.China's steel market has just recovered due to the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic and the crisis in the real estate market. The real estate market and infrastructure construction account for about 60% of China's steel demand. However, infrastructure investment stimulus programs have slowed, while the real estate market is also growing slowly. Meanwhile, the Chinese government continues to encourage mergers and cuts to address persistent oversupply. It can be said that China's steel industry is undergoing reform, but progress is relatively slow.The Chinese government has not yet taken drastic measures to boost the country's domestic demand for steel. The profit of the steel industry is low, but the price of input materials for steel production is relatively high. This affects steel prices, leading to a gloomy domestic consumption market.In the context of weak domestic demand, forcing China steel enterprises to boost exports. However, the fact that factories boost exports to free up inventories means that selling prices are continuously falling. In May, the country's steel export price fell below $1,000 per ton ($920 per ton).According to a report by Marubeni Research, the level of oversupply (determined by subtracting consumption from crude steel production) in the first five months of 2023 has reached the highest level in the past seven years of the China steel industry.

China's steel export output is forecasted to reach a record level in the past 7 years when the export volume from January to May has reached 36.4 million tons. The declining domestic demand and the depreciating currency have encouraged manufacturers in this country to promote exporting to deal the inventories.China's steel export is predicted to hit a new record in 2023Recently, some analysts indicated China will reach the steel export milestone in 2023 with an output in the range of 66-77 million tons, this is the highest milestone for 7 years ago. Specifically, in the time of period from January to May 2023, China's steel exports reached 36.4 million tons and increased by 41% over the same period last year. This development trend is expected to continue until the end of the year. It is possible that the total export volume of China by the end of 2023 will increase by 10% compared to 2022.Customs data shows that China's steel exports in May reached 8.36 million tons, which is the highest figure since September 2016. There are also some predictions that steel export volumes may decrease in June but very quickly it will grow again in July and August due to strong demand coming from Korea and Southeast Asian countries.China’s steel export volume is likely to hit a new record in 2023The reasons for China's steel exports surgeSome of the reasons for the sudden steel export output in this year come directly from the weakening domestic demand and the decreasing of the yuan. The chaotic domestic steel industry has forced steel producers in China to shift exports to overseas markets with higher demand in order to deal with inventories.Production increases but domestic demand weakensChina's real estate began to weaken in 2022, this recession dealing a strong affection to domestic steel manufacturers because the construction sector has always been the largest steel consuming sector. Construction projects in the real estate sector here from January to May have decreased by more than 7% compared to the same period last year.On the other hand, steel production output has reached the optimal level, at the end of June, blast furnace utilization rate (BAF) among 247 steel mills reached 92%, this is an all-time high number since 2021 to present. The constant increase in productivity while the demand from real estate is weakening has made the factories here look to export as a solution to reduce the inventory load.The Yuan depreciatesThe yuan has depreciated by nearly 7% against the US dollar since the beginning of the year. The fall renminbi exchange rate has brought opportunities for steel exporters in China as the export prices will be cheaper and provide them some advantages with the other manufacturers abroad. Beside that, the low price steel from China producers brings competition to other exporting countries.Consumption demand increased in some areasIn the context of the global economic recession, which has significantly affected the demand for steel in many countries. However, there are still some countries in the Middle East and North Africa that have shown strong consumption in the half of 2023. Currently, Middle Eastern countries are gradually investing in infrastructure projects to boost the economy instead of depending on oil as before, so the amount of steel imported from China entering this region has grown very strongly.The inflation situation in countries in Southeast Asia has made it easier to import Chinese steel because the price is extremely cheap. In addition, the demand for steel in some countries in this region is also boosted by some infrastructure projects sponsored by China contractors. However, Vietnam was out of the forecast because the demand for steel in Vietnam in May decreased by 15% compared to the previous month, the reason coming from the slow construction activities and projects.Some regions have high steel importing from ChinaSome risks of trade remedies from China's steel exportsThe growth in China's steel export generated concern for many steel producers in other importing countries due to fierce price competition. Some experts say that Chinese steel export shipments are harming foreign manufacturers because increased steel imported volume will force domestic steel mills to reduce output.India - a new power in global steel production is considering imposing countervailing duty on steel imports from China. In 2022 last year, India imposed anti-dumping duties on Chinese stainless steel pipes to protect the profits of domestic steel producers.Vietnam's steel industry proactively responds to trade competitionThe increasing steel production along with a favorable price can produce some advantages in exporting but it can also bring trade defense lawsuits. China is considered the world's largest steel producer today, but in fact this country is facing a lot of investigations and a series of anti-dumping decisions from other countries.Vietnam is also a new potential country in the field of steel production, Vietnamese steel products are not only present in the Southeast Asian market but also in Europe and America. However, the rapid increase in export volume means that many other countries will pay attention and domestic steel products will face anti-dumping lawsuits in the future.Facing the risks of trade remedies, the Vietnam Import-Export Department in recent years has promptly established agreements signed between many countries, including Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) such as the Vietnam Trade Union Agreement (FTA) and the Vietnam Trade Union Agreement (FTA); the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the Vietnam-EU FTA (EVFTA)... have opened up great opportunities for Vietnam's steel industry to export more easily.